APPA Classification Update

After carefully examining the performance of the Universal Classification system following last season’s major revamp, we are pleased to announce a few adjustments to the system for 2011 that will build on the previous revamp to make the system perform even better. The adjustments focus on two areas: Recognizing when players may not be competing at as high a level as they may have been previously and allowing their classification to fall sooner, and providing RaceTo-4/5/7 teams additional flexibility with their rosters to include players of slightly higher ratings than they were able to previously. These changes will provide more opportunities for players to compete without compromising on the fair competition players and teams demand.

– As in 2010, 3-man events will not count towards your PSP Classification
– As in 2010, a player can not be promoted to Division 2 or higher unless they earn enough points from either playing in higher divisions or playing in PSP tournaments. (Exception: Regional leagues offering Division 2 may promote players to that division for their league.)
– As in 2010, two point promotion thresholds will be in place, one for promotion based on a player’s classification rating on 12/31/2010, and a higher threshold that applies throughout the 2011 season. For the 2011 season, the points needed to be promoted to a classification are:

Promotoed to

At End of 2010 Season (12/31/2010)

Anytime during Season

Pro/Semi-Pro

3936pts

4800pts

D1

1968 pts

2400 pts

D2

984 pts

1200 pts

D3

492 pts

600 pts

D4

100 pts

300 pts

D5

50 pts

150 pts

– The Semi-Pro division will be eliminated. Semi-Pro will remain a classification, however, but it will be “parallel” to the Pro classification. A player who earns enough points to be promoted to Pro/Semi-Pro will be Pro if they have played at least 2 Pro events within the current or previous two seasons (2011, 2010, 2009) and Semi-Pro otherwise.
– Players will continue to earn 100 points for 1st place finishes, and 10 points for last place finishes, except that players on Pro teams will earn 45.5 points for a last place finish. Points for finishes between 1st and last place will be evenly spread between the top and bottom scores.

As in 2010, scores will be multiplied based on the division in which they were earned to determine the number of points they are worth.

Division

Multiplier

Pro

32x

Semi-Pro

24x

D1

16x

D2

8x

D3

4x

D4

2x

D5

1x

Older scores will be reduced in value compared to newer scores, based on the season the score was earned and the number of events played since the score was earned.

Season Score was earned

# of events since score earned

score value

2011, 2010, 2009

11 or less

100%

2008

12-17

70%

2007

18-23

50%

2006 and 3 events since

24-29

35%

2k5, 2k4, 2k3, and 5 events since

30+

25%

The lower score value counts, so if a score was earned in 2009, but the player has played 14 events since the score was earned, the score counts at 70%, not 100%. Note that scores do not drop to 35% value unless at least 3 events have been played since the score was earned, and scores do not drop to 25% value unless at least 5 events have been played since the score was earned.

A player’s total ranking is the sum of their best three scores, except that players with at least 4 scores drop their top score, and players with three scores count their top score at 50%.

Roster Rules:

For RaceTo-2 rosters, a team may have up to one player classified up to one division higher than the division the team is competing in.

For RaceTo-4/5 rosters, a team may have up to two players who are classified higher than the division the team is competing in.

– A RaceTo-4/5 team may always have two players who are classified one division higher than the division the team is competing in.
– Division 1 teams may have any number of Semi-Pro players, and up to 2 Pro players.
– No Pro players may compete on Division 2 or lower teams.
– To provide additional roster flexibility RaceTo-4/5 teams and additional opportunities for players just over a classification threshold, a RaceTo-4/5 team may have one player who is two classes higher than the division the team is competing in, provided the player’s rating is no higher than 3x the end-of-season limit for the division the team is competing in, and the total points for the top two players on the team do not exceed 4x the end-of-season limit for that division.

Division

Top Player’s Rating Limit

Sum of top 2 player’s rating limit

D2 Race to 5

5904

7872

D3 Race to 4

2952

3936

D4 Race to 4

1476

1968

Basically, you can have up to 2 players one class higher, but one player can “borrow” points from the other player. So for a D3 team, you could have two players rated 1968, or one player at 2168 and one at 1768, or one at 2868 and another at 1068. You can not, however, ever have a player rated over 2952 points on a D3 RaceTo-4 team.